Windlass.



T. M. TORSON.

WINDLASS.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 25, 1914.

1,142,738, Patented June 8, 1915.

THE NORRIS PETERS CO4, PHOTO-LITHQ. WASHINGTON. D. C

THOMAS M. TORSON, OF KANSAS CITY, KANSAS.

WINDLASS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 8, 1915.

Application filed February 25, 1914. Serial No. 820,919.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, THOMAS MARTIN Ton- SON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Kansas City,in the county of VVyandotte and State of Kansas, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Windlasses; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to new and useful improvements in windlasses and resides in the provision of a novel form of Windlass which is provided with a removable winding drum that may be readily turned so that the handle connected therewith is disposed upon either side of the supporting frame for the windlass and readily positioned upon the supporting frame without necessitating the employing of bolts and nuts or other means for holding the Windlass in secure operative position upon the frame.

An important object of my invention is to provide a Windlass of the character described which is arranged to be supported by a novel form of supporting frame and consists of a winding drum having extensions thereon that are arranged to be fitted within the supporting frame so as to be readily removable therefrom and that it may be turned or reversed without necessitating the turning of the device as a whole.

In excavating work, it is necessary that the dirt should be taken out upon both sides of the excavation, in some instances, and in employing a Windlass for this excavating work it requires four or more men as a general rule to turn the Windlass around so that the handle is disposed upon the opposite side: my invention therefore, aims to provide a Windlass which is so arranged and constructed as to obviate the necessity of the operation before described.

Another important object of my invention is to provide a simple and inexpensive windlass which is reliable and eificient in opera- .tion, and capable of being cheaply manufactured.

The above and additional objects are accomplished by such means as are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, described in the following specification and then more particularly pointed out in the claim which is appended hereto and forms a part of this application.

-With reference to the drawings, wherein I have illustrated the preferred embodiment of my invention as it is reduced to practice, and throughout the several views of which similar reference numerals designate corresponding parts: Figure 1 is a detail side elevation of my improved Windlass showing it removed from the supporting frame. Fig. 2 is a front elevation of my improved windlass showing it in assembled 3 is a side elevation thereof.

Referring to the drawings the numeral 1 designates as an entirety a supporting frame. This supporting frame 1 comprises a rectangular frame comprising four bars 2 that are preferably screw threaded at their terminals and connected with each other by suitable couplings 3. Certain opposed'bars 2' are connected centrally of their ends by means of suitable couplingsor connecting mediums 4 to vertical tubular rods 5 and 6 that are opposite one another.

The upper ends of the rods 5 and Gare arranged to receive the winding drum after a manner which will be later more fully described.

Removably mounted upon the rods 5 and 6 is a winding drum designated 7 as an entirety. The shaft 8 of this drum? is journaled at its ends in cylindrical bearings 9. A tubular right angular extension 10 is carried by each bearing 9 and in turn carries an extension rod 11. The rods 11 are of slightly less diameter than the internal diameter of the rods 5 and 6 and are arranged to fit within the upper end of the rods 5 and 6 so as to hold the drum firmly in position upon the frame 1. The extensions 10 form a shoulder for the rods 11 and engage the upper ends of the rods 5 and 6.

The rods 11 form handholds when the drum is removed from the uprights 5 and 6 so that the drum can be conveniently held in suspended position and turned and readily positioned again on the upright.

A crank handle 12 is carried upon one side of the drum shaft 8 and provides for the rotation of the drum 7 A rope or cable 13 is secured at one end upon the drum and position. i Fig.

arranged to be wound thereon and at its portion 15 provided With an arcuate connecting bar 16 which is secured intermediate and approximately centrally of its ends to a hook 17 that is carried upon the free end of the rope or cable 13.

It Will be readily seen that when it is desired to move the handle12 from one side to the other of the frame, the operator simply lifts the drum 7 sufficiently to move the rods 11 out of the tubular rods 5 and 6. l he drum 7 is free to be turned around and the rods 11 are then fitted Within the rods 5 and 6.

With reference tothe foregoing description and accompanying drawings it will be readily seen that I have provided a novel form of Windlass which is so constructed as to eliminate the necessity ,of turning the Windlass as a Whole around When it is desired to operate upon both sides of an excavation. It will also be noted that it is not necessary to employ bolts or other fastening means for the purpose of securing the Winding drum upon the supporting frame of my device, since the extension rods 11 in telescoping Within-the upper ends of the rods 5 and 6 provide a firm bearing for the drum 7 A In reduction to practice, Ihave found that the form of my invention, illustrated in the drawings and referred to in the above description, as the preferred embodiment, is

adoption of my device Will necessarily vary,

I desire to emphasize the fact that various minor changes in details of construction, proportion and arrangement of parts may be resorted to, when required, Without sacrificing any of the advantages of my invention, as defined in theappended claim.

WVhat is claimed is A Windlass comprising a supporting base having a pair of spaced tubular uprights thereon, a drum carrying shaft located at the upper end of the uprights, bearings for receivirigthe opposite ends of the shaft, rods extending from the bearings and adapted to be received by the tubular uprights and having shoulders formed thereon to engage E the upper ends of the uprights so as to limit the downward movement of the rods Within the uprights, said rods being adapted to provide handholds for the drum carrying shaftivhen' the latter is removed from the uprights.

I THOMAS M.- TORSON. Witnesses E; L. MARTIN, IIELEN KELLOGG.

(fopies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G." 

